Alumni Magazine |2021

The Juneteenth flag flies over the UW-Madison campus for the first time, summer 2021;

Events, such as the Social Workers Confronting Racial

Injustice Conference, continued virtually.

Alumni Magazine | 2021SANDRA ROSENBAUM SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK

SOCWORK.WISC.EDU

1350 University AvenueMadison, WI 53706

Alumni Magazine | 2021

2021 | CONNECTIONS 1

As I write this in early fall 2021,

we are excited to welcome both

new and returning students to

the Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work. At the same time,

campus leadership is keeping a close eye on the spread of the

Delta variant, and the need to protect faculty, staff, students, and

our community. That protection includes both mask and testing

mandates on campus.

We are entering the third academic year impacted by the pandemic.

I am in awe of what has been accomplished due to the resilience of

our students and the dedication of our faculty, staff, and community

partners. Despite the challenges of the last year and a half, we

graduated 182 amazing students in 2021. Our faculty continued

or pivoted their robust research projects, and indeed new research

projects were initiated to address the social, health, and economic

inequities laid bare by Covid-19. Our outstanding field education

office secured valuable field experiences for students in hundreds

of community agencies, relying on the commitment and creativity

of our community agencies, agency supervisors, and alumni.

I’m happy to celebrate many of our accomplishments in the pages

here – accomplishments that are notable in and of themselves, let

alone that they occurred during a pandemic. Pease read further

about these and other accomplishments and celebratory moments:

• In July 2020, we celebrated our new name: The Sandra

Rosenbaum School of Social Work thanks to the generosity of

Joel Berman who honored his late wife and our graduate, Sandra.

• Building upon our ongoing work to improve diversity, equity,

and inclusion in the school, we refined and began implementing

a Strategic Plan for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

• We prepared for reaffirmation of our BSW and MSW programs

by the Council on Social Work Education and are awaiting final

approval for our reaccreditation.

• We created and implemented a second day of orientation for

students focused entirely on Justice, Equity, Diversity, and

Inclusion (JEDI Training). The goal is to jumpstart the learning

and skills development of our students from day one.

• We hosted our 7th annual conference on Social Workers

Confronting Racial Injustice. For the first time, we hosted the

conference virtually, with nearly 5,000 registered for the first

day and over 4,000 registered for the second.

• The Office of Field Education offered synchronous and

asynchronous workshops for agency supervisors to support

ongoing learning and growth for the professionals that

commit themselves to training our students, even during

unprecedented times.

Despite the pandemic, and I daresay because of the pandemic,

our school’s mission cannot be put on hold. We need more,

strong social workers serving our communities, and we need

robust, faculty research that can address the ongoing and urgent

inequities facing society. We have amazing students, faculty, staff,

and community partners. But frankly, we could not accomplish

our goals during these challenging times without the support of

our alumni and partners. From critical student scholarships,

to support for enhanced programming, to funds for emergent

critical research, our alumni and supporters make it possible for

us to keep going. If you are reading this message, THANK YOU for

your interest, dedication, and support for the school during this

challenging time. We couldn’t do this without you.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Robert, Director and Professor

LETTERFROM THE DIRECTOR

Trudy Marshall (chair)Daniel BurrellJoyce Degenhart

Judith TopitzesMichelle WattsIrene Wong

Stephanie LozanoMeghan MorrisseySteven Tallant

Caroline Gomez-TomFabiola HamdanCraig LeCroy

CONNECTIONS is the alumni magazine of the Sandra Rosenbaum School of

Social Work at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

WEBSITE: socwork.wisc.edu

EMAIL: [email protected]

WRITERS/EDITORS: Mel Morgenbesser, Jason Lee

PHOTOS: Melanie Wright; Amanda Reseburg, Type A Images; UW-Madison

DESIGNER: Kelly Roettger of Unikern Studio

BOARD OF VISITORS

2021 | CONNECTIONS2

WRITERS/EDITORS: Mel Morgenbesser, Jason Lee

PHOTOS: Melanie Wright; Amanda Reseburg, Type A Images; UW-Madison

DESIGNER: Kelly Roettger of Unikern Studio

Social work faculty have had a long-

standing partnership with Wisconsin’s

Department of Children and Families

(DCF) to provide research on topics that

affect children and families, with a focus

on child support. A recent $5.3 million

research agreement, coordinated through

UW-Madison’s Institute for Research on

Poverty (IRP), supports 18 projects. “This

research continues a collaborative process

in which research has influenced state

policy,” says Professor and Co-Principal

Investigator Dan Meyer.

In addition to six social work faculty

projects described below, funding is

provided for current doctoral students and

several alumni including: David Pate (Chair

of the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare

at UW–Milwaukee), Molly Costanzo, Lisa

Klein Vogel, and Hilary Shager (all at IRP),

Laura Cuesta (Rutgers University) and

Judi Bartfeld (Affiliate in the school and

Professor of Consumer Science).

SOCIAL WORK FACULTY CONDUCT RESEARCH FOR THE WISCONSIN

DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

The Principal Investigators on the agreement are Dan Meyer and Judi Bartfeld.

NEWS

ALEJANDRA ROS PILARZ and

TOVA WALSH each have projects

examining aspects of the effects of the

Covid-19 pandemic: Pilarz is working with

Laura Cuesta, from the Rutgers University

School of Social Work, to consider effects

on child support processes and on the

income packages of custodial parents.

Walsh is examining effects on noncustodial

fathers, many of whom were economically

vulnerable prior to the pandemic.

TAWANDRA ROWELL-CUNSOLO will study the child support behaviors of

noncustodial parents who have substance

use disorders, and whether treatment

affects payments.

JOOYOUNG KONG is working with

DAN MEYER (and Maria Cancian,

Dean of Georgetown University’s McCourt

School of Public Policy) to explore whether

those who received child support when

they were children have different outcomes

as young adults.

LONNIE BERGER is working with

Professor Judi Bartfeld to examine how

divorced families whose children spend

approximately half their time with each of

their parents split child-related expenses.

DAN MEYER is also exploring the

characteristics of those not paying their

child support and the role of procedural

justice in child support agency practices.

MARAH CURTIS is providing consulting

to the project.

New Agreement Continues a Long-term Partnership


THE PART-TIME MSW PROGRAM’S NEW “HYBRID MODEL” OFFERS INCREASED FLEXIBILITY

NEWS

Since 2009, more than 700 students have received their MSW degrees in the school’s Part-Time MSW program, which included required meetings every Saturday on campus. Our new hybrid-model, utilizing increased distance-learning opportunities, will mean students need to come to campus only every other Saturday. Since the program has always intended to meet the needs of students who, due to work, family, or other commitments, require flexibility to complete their graduate work, the hybrid-model will allow even more students to pursue their graduate education. Offering focus areas in aging; child, youth, and family welfare; health; and mental health allows students the flexibility to pursue a wide range of interests and societal needs. Field placements in or near the student’s home community, and financial aid including scholarships are drawing students from throughout Wisconsin and neighboring states. Recent grads Ashely Osteen and Samantha Tyler reflect on their time in the program:

I love the flexibility of the Part-Time Program, especially since it has allowed me to continue working in the Eau Claire, WI area while also receiving a high-quality education from a UW-Madison program…I knew I wanted to get an MSW, but neither relocating for a full-time program nor doing a fully online program felt like the best option for me. The Part-Time Program is a blessing because it is the perfect option for students and professionals like me, who don’t feel like they “fit” into a traditional master’s program.- ASHELY OSTEEN

I have had the best experience while in the Part-Time MSW Program due to having full support from my field instructor and by creating close connections with my smaller cohort.- SAMANTHA TYLER

More information about the Part-Time MSW Program can be found at socwork.wisc.edu/programs/parttime

Combining high quality, in-person learning experiences, online course work, a community of learners, while reducing travel and time demands.

STRIVING FOR EQUITY

The school has been in the process of creating and implementing a Strategic Plan for Diversity, Equity,

and Inclusion for several years, building upon and furthering earlier efforts. The uprisings of 2020 only magnified the importance of this work. In addition to a newly launched summer event series and resources for Supporting Black Lives, the school focused on equity

work as the main priority in 2020-2021 with material and substantive progress made in a number of areas. See: socwork.wisc.edu/striving-for-equity

A new grant will provide four semesters of funding for school psychology Ed.S students and MSW students interested in school social work and mental health. Project LEADSS (Leading Educators to Advance School-Based Services in Mental Health) is a federally-funded training grant, prepared in part by Amanda Ngola, Clinical Associate Professor; Associate Director of Field Education, and Audrey Conn, Clinical Associate Professor; Director of Field Education. The program is focused on preparing students in school mental health (SMH) practices, supervision, and leadership of interdisciplinary teams.

NEW FUNDING FOR STUDENTS INTERESTED IN

SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK

2021 | CONNECTIONS4

NEWS

STUDENT AWARDS & ACCOMPLISHMENTSMEGAN MERCIER A TRUMAN

SCHOLARSHIP FINALISTThe Truman Scholarship is one of the most prestigious undergraduate honors in the country. Social Welfare major Megan Mercier,

who returned to UW-Madison after 15 years, is the founder of Holism for All a program connecting

low-income families with affordable healthcare options. A mother of two, Meghan is an advocate for victims of domestic violence, public speaker, author, and filmmaker.

BETH ALLEN NAMED NEWMAN CIVIC FELLOW

Nominated by UW’s Chancellor, Rebecca Blank, undergraduate social work and political science major Beth Allen was named a Newman Civic Fellow. Fellows are recognized

for their “leadership to address public issues and commitment to finding solutions for challenges

facing communities throughout the country.” Beth’s experiences working at the Morgridge Center for Public Service and the Wisconsin Governor’s Office have helped inform and reinforce her passion for voter engagement and social justice.

KILEY MCLEAN SELECTED FOR LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

PhD student Kiley McLean was one of 24 participants throughout the country selected to join the Association of University Centers on Disabilities Leadership Academy. Kiley

will engage in a year-long program intended to enhance the skills of current and emerging

leaders in the disability academic network to build coalitions to improve systems of supports and services for people with disabilities.

PHD STUDENT LIZ PREMO RECOGNIZED FOR TEACHING EXCELLENCEUW-Madison has more than 2,100 teaching assistants who are a crucial part of the campus’s instructional program. Liz was one of only 35 TAs recognized for their outstanding teaching. In addition to her TA role, Liz has taught two courses as an independent instructor: Basic Statistics for Social Workers; and Child, Youth, & Family Policies & Services.

SAKARA WAGES RETURNS TO TEACH AT HER ALMA MATERFourth year doctoral student Sakara Wages was featured in a Madison 365 article describing her return to teach at UW-Platteville. Sakara is one of only two Black alumni who have returned to teach there in the last 10 years. Her interests include anti-racist pedagogy, Black feminist theory, and black family welfare. She explains, “Coming back to UW-Platteville made sense for a number of reasons. When I started this journey, my dream was myopically to come back and be a tenured professor at UW-Platteville because I really enjoyed the environment…my family is here... so Platteville is going to be home.”

DOMINIQUE CHRISTIAN: A WOMEN TO WATCHRecent MSW grad Dominique Christian was named a 2021 Women to Watch by Brava Magazine. Dominique, who “has experienced…trauma in her childhood and adulthood, including poverty and homelessness” explains that “this accumulation of pain and hardship has led her down a fierce and passionate path to serve the Black community.” In addition to


STUDENT/FACULTY COLLABORATIONS:

NEWS

One of the benefits students derive is the opportunity to work collaboratively on research projects with faculty. An example of this resulted in a recent publication: “Caregiving for Parents Who Harmed You: A Conceptual Review,” which appeared recently in the Clinical Gerontologist.

The authors included two students. Anne Kunze, a recent MSW graduate, and Jamie Goldberg, a doctoral student, joined school faculty members Jooyoung Kong and Tracy Schroepfer on the project. Their paper provides, “a conceptual review of prior research on the effect of a history of parental childhood maltreatment on the experiences and outcomes of adult-child caregivers who provide care to their perpetrating parents.”

“I hadn’t considered research when I entered the part-time program, being more focused on learning interpersonal skills and interventions,” Anne said. “What I found out working alongside Professor Kong and Jaime on the paper was the importance of being open to unexpected opportunities and lessons. Researching broadened my perspective, and for that I’m grateful.”

As lead author, Assistant Professor Jooyoung Kong explains, “Both Anne and Jaime were interested in the topic of caregiving for formerly abusive and neglectful parents and they had done a thorough literature review on this topic under my guidance. They came up with the list of existing literature on this topic and we did weekly meetings to discuss and share knowledge and insights that they learned by reading the prior studies. This paper was written as a product of our collaborations.”

working for The Road Home, an organization that serves homeless families, she founded AYA Advocacy Group as a multi-pronged organization where she aims to empower marginalized communities with supports and resources for kids, teens and adults.

PHD STUDENT LEAH AWKWARD-RICH WAS RECOGNIZED with an Equity & Inclusion Student Fellowship from the Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management. The fellowship supports

the travel and participation of students at the APPAM Fall Research Conference.

EVELYN JOY COKER, A FIRST-YEAR PHD STUDENT, was awarded a 4W Initiative (Women & Wellbeing in Wisconsin & the World) Engagement Grant for Emerging Scholars for her project “Get L.I.T. (Learning Intentional Tools) Juvenile Justice Project: Development of a Gender-Responsive Curriculum and Training for Implementation.” Evelyn will adapt her self-published social-emotional learning tool Get L.I.T.: A Teen Girl’s Journal for Positive Self-Development into a curriculum for girls in juvenile justice settings. Her project will begin this summer.

STUDENT AWARDS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS

2021 | CONNECTIONS6

WORTH NOTING

NEWS

LB KLEIN JOINS THE FACULTYLB Klein has joined the faculty as an assistant professor. She received her PhD from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. LB brings more than 16 years of experience in preventing and responding to interpersonal violence and advancing social justice to her teaching and research. Her research focuses on “sexual and intimate partner violence prevention and intervention, with particular interests in intersectionality and approaches to enhancing Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer+ health.”

PROFESSORS LONNIE BERGER AND KRISTI SLACK EDIT A SPECIAL ISSUE OF THE ANNALS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF POLITICAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCE ON CHILD MALTREATMENT Selected because of their expertise as scholars in the area of child welfare services, Lonnie Berger (also Associate Vice-Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education for the Social Sciences), and Kristi Slack, were guest editors of Toward a Better Approach to Preventing, Identifying and Addressing Child Maltreatment. In addition to drawing on the work of child welfare scholars throughout the country, their lead article “Contemporary U.S. Child Welfare System(s): Overview and Key Challenges” aims to increase awareness among scholars, policy-makers, and practitioners of the size, scope, and functions of child welfare services in the United States.

TAWANDRA ROWELL-CUNSOLO SELECTED FOR INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH PROGRAMAssistant Professor Tawandra Rowell-Cunsolo has been selected to participate in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Interdisciplinary Research Program. The program “connects changemakers across the country—from every profession and field—to learn from and work with one another in creating more just and thriving communities.” Tawandra and her team members will examine the impact of paternal involvement in the criminal justice system on child and community health.


NEWSWORTH NOTINGKRISTI SLACK ELECTED TO THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF SOCIAL WORK AND SOCIAL WELFAREProfessor Kristi Slack was one of 12 individuals nationally selected as a fellow into the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare (AASWSW). The Academy recognizes those with distinguished accomplishments as scholars and practice and policy leaders dedicated to achieving excellence in high-impact work to advance social good. Kristi joins colleagues Dan Meyer, Lonnie Berger, Katherine Magnuson, and Stephanie Robert who were elected in prior years.

THE LAB FOR FAMILY WELLBEING AND JUSTICE Assistant Professor Pajarita Charles’ research centers on the development, implementation, and testing of family-focused preventive interventions to promote positive outcomes for children and families affected by the criminal justice system. She has developed The Lab for Family Wellbeing and Justice, which supports a number of projects designed to combat the adverse consequences of justice involvement for individuals, families, and communities thereby promoting strength, resilience, opportunity, and success.

ALEJANDRA ROS PILARZ’S WORK FUNDED BY RUSSELL SAGE AND THE BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATIONS Assistant Professor Alejandra Ros Pilarz and her colleague Laura Cuesta of Rutgers University received a “Pipeline Grant” to support their work, “Child Support Regularity and Custodial Mothers’ Employment and Economic Well-Being.” Their project will study how regularity in child support receipt has changed over the past twenty years and the extent to which regularity affects custodial mothers’ employment and economic well-being.

TOM CORBETT PUBLISHES NEW EDITION ON EVIDENCE-BASED POLICYMAKINGProfessor Emeritus Tom Corbett and Karen Bogenshneider have reworked their well received 2011 volume on Evidence Based Policymaking: Envisioning a New Era of Theory, Research, Teaching and Practice.

EMERITUS PROFESSOR MARY WYLIEProfessor Emerita Mary Wylie, 94, passed away recently in Sun City, AZ. Mary’s research and teaching

focused on gerontology and community and social planning. She also served as head of the Social Research, Policy, and Practice Section of the American Gerontological Society of America.

Much of Mary’s research related to services and supports for older people moving to new communities. It is therefore fitting that she lived the last 29 years of her life at Sun City along with many of her longtime friends

including social work professor Vivian Wood now 98, who was able to be with her the day she died.

In Memoriam

2021 | CONNECTIONS8

NEWS

THE DOCTORAL PROGRAM IN SOCIAL WELFARE

Though the smallest of the school’s four programs, the doctoral program in social welfare has a large impact on the social work profession, social welfare policy, and intervention strategies from a behavioral and social science perspective to improve the quality of life of individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations. The program has a strong national reputation for academic excellence.

Since its inception in 1967, more than 240 students have received their PhDs, many of whom have gone on to make major contributions in their areas of expertise. Currently, 26 students are taking advantage of the PhD program’s interdisciplinary plan of study in basic and applied social research. In the program, doctoral students build and integrate knowledge in:

1. a substantive or social problem area (e.g., child welfare, aging, developmental disabilities, end-of-life care, health, mental health, poverty);

2. social science theory (e.g., theories of the life course, economic theory, psychopathology, organizational theory, stress process theories);

3. research designs and statistical methodologies (e.g., program evaluation, policy analysis, longitudinal analysis)

In addition to their social work courses, students draw on courses in UW-Madison’s world-renowned social and behavioral science departments. Perhaps the most rewarding part of the program is the close working relationship doctoral students develop with their faculty mentors. Recent grad Julie Yixia Cai, now at Columbia University, commenting on her work with faculty members Lonnie Berger and Kristi Slack, explains:“Without them, I could not have gotten to where I am now. They introduced me to the world of child welfare research. The countless conversations I had with them really

sparked my interest in bridging research on preventing child maltreatment with the social policy arena and in understanding further how economic (in)stability plays a role in understanding family and child wellbeing.”

As an example of our doctoral students’ work and interests, below are the dissertation topics of several recent doctoral program grads:

The Interplay Between Adverse and Positive Childhood Experiences: An Exploration of Risk and Resilience. Marissa Abbot

Caring for Parents: Stratified Effects on Adult Children’s Labor Force Participation. Melody Waring

Reentry and Family Reunification: Essays Examining Children’s Well-being after Incarcerated Parents are Released from Prison. Luke Muentner

Examining Access to and Participation in Early Care and Education among Children of Immigrant. Ying-Chun Lin

Perspective Taking by Dementia Family Caregivers: A Multi-method Study of how proxy Reporters Assess Quality of Life in Dementia. Patricia Egan

Queering Pregnancy: Understanding the Role of Queer Identity in Pregnancy Desires and Decisions. Emma Carpenter

Donor funds are used to support doctoral students in presenting their research at professional conferences and to provide small grants to those needing funds to conduct their dissertation research.


CELENA ROLDÁN, BSW ’98, MSW ’00, OUR 2021 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENT

ALUMNI UPDATES

The Board of Visitors chose Celena Roldán as the school’s 2021 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient. Celena is the Chief Executive Officer of the American Red Cross of Illinois. As the second largest Red Cross region in the country, it annually serves 12 million people and responds to more than 1,600 disasters, while collecting more than 100,000 lifesaving units of blood. Prior to joining the Red Cross, Celena served as the Executive Director of the five locations of the Erie Neighborhood House in Chicago, founded in 1870 to strengthen low-income,

primarily Latino families through skill-building, access to critical resources, advocacy, and collaborative action.

Recognizing her leadership, Celena was named one of Chicago’s “Most Powerful Latinos.” Her extensive community involvement includes co-chairing Chicago’s Universal Basic Income Task Force and serving on Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s Early Childhood Task Force. Currently, Celena is on the national board of UnidosUS, which partners with 300 affiliates across the country to serve millions of Latinos in the areas of civic engagement, civil rights and immigration, education, workforce and the economy, health, and housing.

Celena’s choice of social work as a profession is not surprising. Her mother, Dr. Ida Roldan, is on the faculty of the Institute for Clinical Social Work in Chicago and maintains a private practice. A trained disaster mental health worker, Ida and Celena have responded to Red Cross disasters together in Puerto Rico and across the United States.

Reflecting on her education and experience at the school, Celena explains:

“Over the recent past, the Red Cross has responded to one of the busiest disaster seasons in history and we are all living through a pandemic unlike any our world experienced in more than 100 years. Through these monumental changes and challenges, I have often thought about the training that I received through the School of Social Work. I have relied greatly on the compassion, reflective listening and learning, and leadership development that I learned through this program. This recognition means so much to me, particularly during this momentous time in our history. Social workers are needed now more than ever, and I am appreciative of the strong foundation I received.”

2021 | CONNECTIONS10

ALUMNI UPDATESCLASS NOTES

Margaret Eisenstad, BA ’63, is the founder of Kamishibai For Kids which, using beautifully illustrated cards, is a creative tool to develop reading and writing skills. Kathleen Bink, BSW ’68, had a 40-year social work career, working primarily in public welfare/child welfare in Wisconsin’s Waukesha and Ozaukee counties in direct service, supervision and management. Roberta Gassman, MSSW ‘72, Honorary Fellow, and Emeritus Board of Visitors Member, has been elected chair of the Madison Community Foundation Board of Governors. MCF works with staff, donors, and partners to invest and leverage its resources to enhance the Madison region through philanthropy and grantmaking. Debbie Armstrong, MSSW ’73, spent the first part of her career working with persons with developmental disabilities and in school social work. Later she had a private practice. Throughout her career she explains, “I always use the systems theory I learned at the School of Social Work.” Roger Tepe, MSSW ’73, now retired and volunteering in Boston, had a 40-year social work career including serving as the Director of Door County Human Services in Wisconsin. James Sampson, MSSW ’73, is “mostly retired” but remains active in a number of non-profit organizations in the Buffalo, NY area. One of those, Buffalo String Works, “delivers world class music education to diverse youth that inspires personal and community transformation.”

Lann Thompson, MSSW ’74, was named Social Work Pioneer by the National Association of Social Workers. This distinguished honor recognizes Lann’s leadership in child welfare, developmental disabilities, and maternal health during his career spanning nearly five decades. Proud of his Native American (Eastern Band Cherokee) heritage, Lann has been involved in Native organizations and events most of his life.

Rabbi Eleanor Pearlman, MSSW ’75, has retired from Congregation Gates of Heaven in Schenectady, NY. As Adjunct Rabbi Emeritus, she will continue to lead classes and visit seniors. Jane Redfield Yank, MSSW ’75 (and PhD University of Minnesota), recently retired from Healtheast, a hospital system St. Paul. She currently teaches research methods and statistics to MSW students at Walden University.

Kevin Mahoney, PhD ’78, Emeritus Professor of Social Work at Boston University is co-author of Self Direction: A Revolution in Human Services. SUNY Press, June 2021.

Raymond Frey, MSSW ’84, is a program analyst at Polara Health, a mental health clinic in Prescott AZ.

Michael Schultz, BSW ’84 (also EdD), recently joined the State of Vermont’s Department of Children and Family Services as a contract and grants supervisor.

Louise Marcoux, MSSW ’90, retired recently. She was the Director of Religious Education at Unitarian Church of Sharon, MA. Robert Williams, MSSW ’90, was recently appointed Director of Housing and Human Services in Boulder, CO. Brenda B. Szumsk, BSW ’94 (MSW University of Denver), is Director of Operations for MST (Multisystemic Therapy), a large international company partnering with organizations to treat at-risk youth. Joy Baumgartner, MSSW ’99 (also PhD), is an associate professor and Director of the Global Mental Health Institute at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. She writes, “My training at UW in severe mental illnesses was fantastic and it really set me a great course in my research career.”Gina Miranda Samuels, PhD ’02, Associate Professor at the University of Chicago’s Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy and Practice is the co-author of Multiracial Cultural Attunement published by NASW Press. Kari Riley, MSW ’06, is working for RSVP Dane County where alum Margie Zutter, BSW ’74 is Director and Mary Stamstad, BSW ’74 recently retired.

Matthew Smith, PhD ’06, Associate Professor of Social Work at the University of Michigan was awarded a $3.1 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to develop a virtual simulation to help autistic teens and young adults learn effective ways to interact with customers, coworkers, and supervisors in work settings.

Nkauj Nou Vang-Vue, MSW’08, principal of Madison’s Lake View Elementary School since July 2018, is the Madison School District’s first Hmong American principal. She also oversees the district’s only bilingual Hmong-English immersion program. Patrice Hutchins, MSW ’10, was named Assistant Principal of East High School in Madison. A life-long resident of Madison, she graduated from East High.


CLASS NOTESALUMNI UPDATES

Jael Currie, MSW ’11, named one of Wisconsin’s 51 Most Influential Black Leaders, was elected to the Madison Common Council. Jael was also one of 25 women selected as YWCA USA’s Inaugural Women of Color and Native Women’s Leadership Cohort.

Jannet Arenas Pineda, MSW ’13, a school social worker in Madison, was named a 2021 Women of Distinction by the YWCA, recognizing her as “one of the people in our community who go above and beyond in their efforts to make our world a better place.”

Kristi Wood, MSW ’13, was named to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Board of Directors, representing Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana. A lecturer at UW-Whitewater, Kristi is also a foster parent trainer for the

Wisconsin Child Welfare Professional Development system.Laura Zimmerman, MSW ’15, was invited to discuss the state of mental health care and Covid on the NPR show 1A, after she suggested that they cover the topic. Laura is a Clinical Specialist at Journey Mental Health Center in Madison.

Lanikque Howard, PhD ‘18, was named by President Biden as Director of the U.S. Office of Community Services, Administration for Children and Families. As the OCS Director, she provides leadership and oversight of over $6 billion in mandatory and discretionary grants through six social service and community development programs.


ALUMNI UPDATES

CAROLYN CREERON (COE), BS ’49, passed away September 2020. She worked for Dane County Human Services and later in life as a librarian. LORELEI WEXLER, BA ’51, passed away August 2021. She was a long-time volunteer for Temple Beth El in Madison. JAMES HONNOLD, MSSW ’54, passed away July 2019. He had a 40-year career in social work in Wisconsin. An active athlete, Jim completed two Chicago Marathons in his 60s. ELIZABETH LIERK, BS ’65, passed away December 2020 in Wauwatosa. She worked for several non-profit agencies and received awards for her philanthropic work. EILEEN TIFTT, BSW ’65, passed away January 2020. After working for many years at Dane County Human Services, Eileen was an active community volunteer. GERALDINE SCHLECT, BSW ’70, passed away in April 2021. She began in our social work program in 1947, returning many years later to complete her degree. Geraldine helped found the Wisconsin Nursing Home Social Workers Association. JUDY MARKET DEROUIN, MSSW ’72, served as Director of Social Services at the Mendota Mental Health Institute in the 1970’s and early 80’s before returning to law school. NANCY MORTON, MSSW ’72, passed away in March 2021 in Benica, CA. For many years she worked as a social worker at Queen Lili’uokalani Children’s Center in Honolulu Hawaii. ROGER ROWIN, MSSW ’73, passed away June 2021. He worked for the Wisconsin Department of Health and Social Services and, with his wife Mary, traveled to 64 countries. VINCE FISH, MSSW ’74 (also PhD) passed away December 2020. Vince was a family therapist in Madison. A founding member of the Family Therapy Center, he supervised many social work students and taught several courses for the school. A scholarship has been established in his memory.

ROBERT L. NEUBAUER, PHD ’75, passed away Septmeber 2019. He helped start the Eastern Washington’s Graduate School of Social Work in Cheney, WA. After retirement he became a Master Gardener. KATHLEEN GRUENEWALD, MSSW ’76, passed away June 2021. Kathleen was a school social worker in Madison. ELIZABETH EDGAR, MSSW ’79, passed away May 2020. She had a long career in the mental health area, culminating with a position with the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill national office. Her friend and fellow school alum Ellen H. Stacy, MSSW ’79, writes “Elizabeth’s career was a testament to her UW education and to her strength and commitment to social work serving individuals with severe and persistent mental illness.” HOWARD DAVID LANPHAER, MSSW ’80, passed away November 2020. A WWII veteran, Howard was a pastor and also served as Director of Social Work Services at the Sauk County Health Department. JILL ALLISON MILLER, MSSW ’82, passed away in January 2021. Jill was a social worker with the Edgerton School District for more than three decades. SHIRLEY LOUISE PATTERSON, PHD ’84, passed away in April 2018. She was a social work faculty member at the University of Kansas and Arizona State University. RITA ODEGAARD, MSSW ’86, passed away July 2021. Prior to her retirement, she was director of the Dane County Agency on Aging in Madison. STACEY BEDUHN, BSW’97, passed away in March 2021 in Colorado Springs, CO. She worked in several social service organizations and was active in Colorado politics. EDWIN (ED) STEINACKER, MSSW ’13, passed away in March 2021 in Eau Claire. Ed worked for the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.

In Memoriam


DONOR REPORTSCHOOL AWARDS MORE THAN $550,000

IN SCHOLARSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS TO 70 STUDENTS

BETHANY MATSONRichard E. Schwert Award

(funded by Attic Correctional Services)

JASMYNE SHORTJoyce Carpenter Degenhart

’57 Scholarship

MADELINE BROWNJoseph and Elaine Wojtowicz Scholarship

MARIE NOFODJI Heather Milne Southwick

‘53 Scholarship

YOONA KIMIrving Piliavin Award

AARON REILLY Sheldon D. Rose

Memorial Scholarship

More than 30 school alumni and friends have established endowed scholarships for social work students. These endowments ensure that the scholarships will be awarded in perpetuity. They range from $1000 awards to full tuition scholarships with stipends. All make a difference in helping our students complete their education and do so with less significant debt. Below are a just a few of the many students awarded scholarships from the school last year.

Additionally, the school awarded full tuition and fees admission scholarships to 32 incoming students last year–thanks to funding from the Harriet Rosenbaum Scholarships, Martha N. Ozawa Scholarships, and the Helen I. Clarke Award.

Contact us if you are interested in starting a new scholarship or contributing to existing scholarships to increase the amount provided to student


DONOR REPORT

In Memoriam

COUPLE’S GIFT SUPPORTS SCHOOLS’ RACIAL EQUITY AND INCLUSION EFFORTS

“We are grateful to be part of that movement and to share the same values

and focus of diversity, inclusion and listening to the wisdom and guidance

of the communities that have been historically marginalized and oppressed.”

Terri Beck-Engel, MSSW ’80, and David Beck-Engel BS ’79 (Engineering), have been generous supporters of UW-Madison and the Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work for many years. They are particularly committed to increasing faculty, staff, and student diversity and to supporting anti-oppressive practice and education to better serve the community. Impressed by the school’s use of their prior gifts focused on these areas, Terri and David recently made a substantial gift to be used over the next five years to support and grow our anti-oppressive practice and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Terri, also a graduate of the Spiritual Direction Preparation Program at the Franciscan Spirituality Center in La Crosse, is an artist. David is Vice-Chairman and former President of J. H. Findorff & Sons, one of the Midwest’s leading builders.

PROFESSOR EMERITA DIANE KRAVETZ’S GIFT CREATES FUND FOR WOMEN,

LEADERSHIP, AND SOCIAL CHANGEA generous gift from retired long-time faculty member and former Director of the School, Diane Kravetz, will promote initiatives, activities, and programs that support and develop women’s leadership in the profession and society at large. Diane, one of the founders of the UW-Madison’s Women’s Studies Program (now the Department of Gender and Women’s Studies), has long been committed to supporting efforts that empower women leaders in social work to challenge the social structures, attitudes, and behaviors that oppress women, racial and ethnic minorities, and the GLBT community and to promote social justice and social change.


DONOR REPORT7TH ANNUAL CONFRONTING RACIAL INJUSTICE CONFERENCE DRAWS THOUSANDS ONLINE

Keynote speaker Patrisse Cullors, best-selling author of When They Call You a Terrorist and Co-Creator of the viral Twitter hashtag and movement, #BlackLivesMatter, along with 26 other speakers, addressed anti-racist and abolitionist ideas within social work. The online event over two Fridays drew students, faculty, community social workers, and others from throughout Wisconsin and the U.S. The archived videos of session presentations have also been viewed thousands of times since the conference. This conference is funded entirely through donor support.

COLLEAGUES, FRIENDS AND FAMILY ESTABLISH THE VINCE FISH MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP IN FAMILY THERAPY Long-term Lecturer and graduate of the school, Vince Fish, MSSW ’74 passed away in December 2020. Wanting to honor Vince’s tireless effort to provide state of the art mental health services, especially to underserved populations, more than 40 colleagues, family, and friends established the Vince Fish Memorial Scholarship in Family Therapy. Among his many achievements, Vince was a founding member of the Family Therapy Center of Madison, and was instrumental in creating the UW-Madison’s annual Midwest Conference on Sexual Abuse. The scholarship will be awarded annually, in perpetuity, to a graduate student pursuing a career in family therapy. If you would like to support the Vince Fish Memorial Scholarship you can do so at: supportuw.org/giveto/FishMemorial

Thanks to the generosity of alumni and friends, we are able to enhance opportunities for our students such as:

Providing registration fee support for students to attend UW-Madison’s Summer Institute on Advanced Dementia Care: The Impact of Trauma. Offering a full-day Anti-Racist Clinical Social Work Training for our mental health focus area students with experts from Speak Up – a Chicago based consulting organization. Providing copies of Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019, edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain, two leading scholars of Black culture, to all students and faculty as part of the school’s annual “Big Read” program.


During times like these, our general fund, the most flexible fund we have, is critical. Thank you for your needed support.

To learn about other ways of supporting the school, such as including the school in your estate plans, please contact

Abby Funseth at the University of Wisconsin Foundation (608) 405-0433/ [email protected] or Mel

Morgenbesser, Alumni Relations and Development (608) 231-8082/ [email protected].

YOUR SUPPORTIS VITAL

1.ONLINE socwork.wisc.edu/alumni/give

2.BY MAIL Make checks payable to the UW-Madison Foundation/School of Social Work.

Send to: UW Foundation U.S. Bank Lockbox, Box 78807 Milwaukee, WI 53278-0807

3.TELEFUND PLEDGE You may receive a call from the UW Foundation during its annual pledge drive. Please remember to designate your gift to the Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work .

THREE WAYS TO DONATE:

KEEP IN TOUCH!Send updates and information to: [email protected] and visit https://socwork.wisc.edu/alumni/.


$70,000 Marcia D. Bradley

$25,000+ Meghan D. and Michael M. Morrissey

$20,000 Elizabeth B. Althaus

$10,000 Nancy J. Leff

$5,000+ Theresa A. and David J. Beck-Engel Kathleen H. Bink Karen L. Bougneit Ruth M. Kleban Heather M. Southwick

$1,000+ Morris J. Allen and Phyllis S. Gorin Sandra L. Arnn and Stanley Goldfarb Attic Correctional Services Inc Norma J. Berkowitz Daniel A. Briskin Daniel J. and Jenice M. Burrell Jennifer L. Buss Robert C. Conway Thomas J. Corbett and Mary T. Rider David C. Fish Bonnie Denmark-Friedman Kathy L. and Patrick L. Green Leslie A. Howard and Rick Stulgaitis Thomas S. Larson Vera K. Lau and Gilbert Wu Wendy M. Jabas and Mark D. Laux Ann C. and John C. Malooly Craig W. LeCroy and Kerry B. MilliganMel B. Morgenbesser

Goldie Kadushin and Steven H. Morrison Nancy J. Patterson Trudy A. Marshall and Fred T. Pielert Roberta A. Gassman and Lester A. Pines Judith A. Rattmann Pamela and Jon F. Reinke-Walter Stephanie A. Robert and Brion J. Fox Robert F. Schilling and Sheryl L. Miller Sherill A. and Jerald D. Slack Kristen S. Slack Steven H. Steiner Charles E. Stonecipher Karl E. Taeuber Lynn K. Tolcott Judith E. and Nicholas J. Topitzes Katy Trautman Marion L. and Michael S. Usher Vernaline Watson Bryan D. and Carol A. Woods Yin L. Wong and Siu S. Chan Mary A. Wylie

$500+ James F. and Helen J. Anderson Anonymous Karen L. and Mark Benson Aaron M. and Nancy Brower Joan K. Burns Thomas F. Buttner Christine M. and Joseph A. Durlak Laurie K. Elwell and Richard G. Niess Carol J. Faynik Deborah L. and Steven A. Felsenthal Raymond J. Frey Sandra L. Schiller Gelber and Franklin A. Gelber Shayna G. and Mark P. Hadley Warren E. and Mariel M. Heinke Kathryn S. Huntsinger R Lawrence De Roo and Patricia K. Kokotailo Ilene A. and Calvin Kunin Daniel R. and Debra A. Meyer Anne L. Mikkelson Ann R. McCann Oakley and Gilbert Oakley Nancy E. O’Keeffe and Francis J. ThomasBarbara D. and Alan Rosskamm James M. and Florence M. Sampson Kenneth P. Kushner and Erica R. Serlin

Ilana H. and Raphael Shure Robert W. St John Sandra H. Venner and Robert J. Bender

$100+ Constance Ahrons Deborah R. and Robert C. Armstrong Robin G. Arndt and Moreland Nagal Jean S. Bae and Gregg E. Kissel Judith F. and Robert W. BabcockMary Batson and William Herman Bonnie C. Benson Carl E. Bentelspacher Lawrence M. and Melissa M. Berger Ruth A. Berkholtz and George E. Nestler James G. and Jane E. Van Den Brandt Richard K. Brautigam Marci S. Briskin Faye D. Cates Diane E. and Raymond J. Cipra Wendy A. McClure Nancy E. and Steven J. Coffey Laura P. and Bernard C. Cohen Nancy M. Cook Daniel J. O’Connell Kevin A. Cuff and Anne E. Thar Michael R. Daley Julia L. Dauenhauer Randall L. Daut and Patricia M. Ryan Brian A. Davis and Deborah M. Umstead Jeannette Deloya Kevin J. and Mary Jane M. Demet Mary A. DiChristopher Mary K. and Douglas B. Eamon Peggy A. and Michael Redfearn Sandra Budd and Rafael J. Engel Evergreen Counseling Services Alan D. Paberzs and Cathleen Evans Karlene J. Gehler and Justus J. Fiechtner Theresa M. Fishler and Douglas F. Tiedt Kay M. Adams-Fleig and Jack Fleig Bridget A. Flynn Katherine A. Gensler Anita S. Gerber Susan V. Giesen Elizabeth A. and Robert J. Gitter James F. and Naomi H. McGloin Beth W. and Harold Goldstein

William C. and Sharon A. Goehring Trudy A. Karlson and David L. Weber Robert Goodman and Mark H. Katz Caroline B. Gomez-Tom and Derek A. TomMichele L. Goolsbey Maureen Wild Gordon and James M. Gordon Susan S. and Ed Gorney Martha L. Rodgers-Graf Dianne D. Greenley Hope Gulker Sandra and Richard T. Hall Linda A. and Paul A. Harris Cathy V. and Kevin S. Hart Hannah H. Hatlan-AtwellBarbara L. Hufschmidt and Mark Halaska Cornelia M. Gordon-Hempe and A Henry Hempe David E. and Kathleen L. Herrewig Carl R. and Karen R. Shook Nance A. Ferguson Horowitz Elizabeth M. Hudson Nancy K. and Jesse Ishikawa Marjorie L. Jacobs Jennifer J. and James R. Johncox Linda E. Jones Linda L. Kantner Richard E. and Mary M. Keil Christopher W. Kroll Elizabeth K. Kroll Jeffrey E. and Mary H. Kuehl Jamie S. Kuhn Alexandra C. Lape Mary E. and Peter E. Plane Gary A. Larson Roberta S. Lasser Timothy W. Latimer and Shannon K. Stuart Craig V. and Kathleen S. Levenick Sara C. Long Philip N. Lomas Ione F. and Lee W. Loerch Kimberly H. Lucas Emily A. Mann Terry Marshall and Lesley J. Johnson Sven F. Midelfort and Petra R. Ressler Jane E. and Ronald J. Miller Sandy Miller Christine F. and Michael J. Monahan Sue Milch and Wilton T. Sanders Geneva C. Moore Patrick D. and Susan J. Morrissey

We made every effort to account for all gifts, but if you see something in error, please email: alumni@socialwork

Thank you to alumni and friends who supported the school from January 1, 2020-June 30, 2021HONOR ROLL


Donald D. Mowry and Martha G. Munger Mary B. La Mothe Donald L. Mueller Eugene T. Muench Marn G. Myers Susan K. Netzel Daniel P. and Gillian A. Nevers Barbara B. Nichols Barbara Vokac Nyden Oak Park Place of Madison LLC Lisa P. and Mark M. Opitz Sally S. and William Nord Alyssa K. and Michael T. Pangborn Rebecca R. Paradiso de Sayu Mary K. and Jeffry N. Parker Richard D. and Barbara A. Pelton Peter A. and Sharon A. Peshek Jane M. Petitt and Robert I. Henkin Helen E. Petracchi Rita F. Post Deborah W. Price Alyssa Y. Rader Jane S. Radue and Patrick J. Riopelle Mary A. Romeo Tawandra L. Rowell-Cunsolo Barbara E. Ryan Margaret A. Schaefer Patricia A. and Wayne A. Schmidtberger Michael W. Schultz Catherine F. and Robert W. Scott Hans and Karen M. Seelig Steven P. and Barbara J. Segal Catherine L. Shaw and Robert H. StormGary B. Shaw Lois A. Siebrecht James R. and Sandra J. Smits Matthew J. and Robyn L. Smith Edward G. Smith Joan L. and Richard T. Snyder Karin L. Soltau Deborah J. Span-BaileySandra B. Stephens Thomas J. Swant Sara E. Switek Brenda B. Szumski Taste Smell Clinic Nancy A. and Terence L. Thompson Elaine J. Torosian Joyce K. Tucker Michael L. and Lynn A. Van Dyke

Vanessa A. Vaziri Tova B. and Elias Walsh Benita S. Walker Sharon P. and J Garrett Whitney Rachel F. Witthoft Martha T. York Shirley A. Young Eileen Westerhoff-Young and Charles M. Young Marybeth Wilk and Katherine F. Brophy Carol J. Ziesemer Dean A. Ziemke and Paul M. Grossberg Joan Levy Zlotnik and Marc D. Zlotnik Margaret S. and Keith R. Zutter

Up to $99 Richard A. Adelman Mary J. Adler Anthony Aljinovic Marian T. and A Thomas Stumpf Carol A. and Dennis Hedler Kathryn T. and Donald Norderhaug Barbara A. and H James Wolosz Sara M. and Kurt Knueve Margaret G. and Robert Eisenstadt Anne B. Angerman Olga R. Arrufat-Tobon Melinda M. Bailey Lori L. Bastean Judith K. and Thomas R. Bednar Theodore J. Beloin Lauren A. Biro Michael F. Bloedorn Dennis L. Borski Beth A. Boschee and David K. Delap Holli A. Bredeson Johnson Eileen J. Breitweiser Daniel R. Brost James M. Carter and Loreta Torres Amanda L. Case Noelle K. Chambers Beth L. Chance Ronald L. Chance David A. Chavez Lauren S. Cohen and Stephen T. Kean Alan Cordova Wayne C. Crooks Gina R. Currie

Emily G. Davidson and Craig Holler Charles E. Degeneffe and Tamara A. Ho Kathleen C. Diaz and Efrain M. Diaz-Horna Nancy K. Donovan Ruth A. Duxbury Jude Edmonds Michael G. Edwards and Marilyn R. McDonald Lavay E. Elg-Scott Carolyn H. and Donald K. Emmerson Cynthia S. and Harvey E. Faber Robert M. Factor and Kristina J. Rasmussen Miriam Farber Nancy A. Fennema Frances M. Fenske Kimberly A. Fisher and Linda J. Ketcham Sophie M. Friedberg Abby L. Funseth Marilyn D. Gandt-Hudson Yolanda Garza Amy L. Garza Jane A. Godager Donna B. Goldbloom Maura K. Grasshoff Rebecca E. Greenlee and Donal A. Kaehler Candice M. Haight and Craig B. Ranger Roger N. Hamilton Jeffrey L. Hamm and Andrea R. SchauerAnn Haney Connie J. Heckenlaible Charles Heckman Major Hill Rita M. Honnold Trina D. Howard Linda K. Howard Audrey Holt-Grosnick Kathryn E. Jones Susan A. Jones Petra Jung Laura H. Kearney Linda M. Keegan Karen N. Komar Ashley N. Landes Jason M. Lee Kristi S. Lekies Jan Lewis Joseph A. and Elaine M. Liberto Erin M. Lokken Eric E. Mansfield and Elizabeth K. Billingham Louise Marcoux and Jonathan D. Slavin

Christine K. Maxwell Jeffrey R. and Laura N. McDonald Joseph A. and Julie A. Motz Elana C. Matthews and William D. Needelman Karen D. and Robert L. Neubauer Patricia E. Nonestied Rodney C. Nord Kriss M. and Sandra K. Novak Christi E. Nowland Jennifer L. Noyes and Francis M. Fennessy David J. Pate Eleanor B. Pearlman John Edward Phillips Laurance and Phyllis Pierce Brittney Puyau Joelaine Retzler Bonita Richardson Katherine A. Ryder Georgea L. Sacher Francie S. Saposnik and Herbert S. Lewis Lois M. Scheib Gary L. Scherer Betty J. Schuchardt Nancy M. and Richard C. Schultz Cynthia Scott Judith K. and Richard D. Silverberg Susan E. and Richard S. Simonson Jacquelyn T. Smith Elliott M. and Lori D. Sogol William W. Sorenson Susan G. Spector-Shulman Evelyn Spradley Elaine M. Staley Julie A. Taylor Roger C. and Judith M. Tepe Lann E. Thompson Loretta T. and Steven R. Thompson James W. Topitzes Jeanne L. Tyree-Francis and Donald M. Francis Mary C. and Robert R. Umhoefer James P. Van Akkeren Charlene M. and Paul R. Vecchi Scott A. Winker Michael J. Wolf Carol A. and Gregory R. Wright Debra G. and John R. Zauner Virginia Zecchini

We made every effort to account for all gifts, but if you see something in error, please email: alumni@socialwork

The Juneteenth flag flies over the UW-Madison campus for the first time, summer 2021;

Events, such as the Social Workers Confronting Racial

Injustice Conference, continued virtually.

Alumni Magazine | 2021SANDRA ROSENBAUM SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK

SOCWORK.WISC.EDU

1350 University AvenueMadison, WI 53706

Alumni Magazine | 2021

As we move into the second year as the Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work, the school is utilizing the generosity of Joel Berman’s transformative gift in honor of his late wife and our graduate, Sandra. We have awarded dozens of full-tuition scholarships; funded vital diversity and equity projects; and are in

the process of increasing PhD student support and named professorships. Joel’s gift will continue to help the school address areas of greatest need.

Alumni Magazine |2021

Documents

Transcript of Alumni Magazine |2021